Babatunde Fashola Declares ‘No New Roads In Nigeria’ Until…

Post by Chinwendu Mmuojeke October 6, 2016

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Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has declared that no new contracts will be awarded for constructions or rehabilitation of federal roads in Nigeria, by his ministry before the existing ones are completed.

According to Fashola, the past administrations assigned contracts for 206 roads worth about N2 trillion which were not paid for.

Responding to questions from State House newsmen on Wednesday, October 5, at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, the Minister said his ministry is more interested in the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that was neglected by the past governments.

In his statement, Mr. Fashola said:

“What we have done was first to say that we would not award any new road contract. We would deal with the over 206 roads that have been awarded but not funded for over three years.”

The minister said priority would be accorded to very important roads that have economic significance for the country such as the Lagos-Ibadan expressway which carries the heaviest traffic and routes for the evacuation of fuel and food produce going to the different parts of Nigeria.

Onitsha-Awka Express road.

“Now the budget that we have for the three ministries that I superintend is in the region of N400 plus billion and over 200 billion is dedicated to roads across the country.”

He further informed that the council had approved the purchase of three transformers of 150 MVA to be installed in sub-stations of Shiroro in Niger, Osogbo in Osun and Kumbotso in Kano as requested by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.

He, however, did not disclose the cost of purchase of the transformer, according to him, the purpose – which is, to continue to reinforce, expand and maintain the existing transmission capacity – overrides the cost.